This invention relates generally to a device for supporting articles and, more particularly, to a portable laptop device having an adjustable article support surface.
Laptop article support devices, of course, are well known in the art. Typically, these devices are constructed as tables having a pair of laterally spaced apart legs or stands which straddle the user and on which a horizontally disposed table surface is placed across and secured thereto.
Some of these laptop table devices are provided with adjustment means which allow for vertical height adjustment of the table surface over the user's lap. Other tables allow for adjustment of the inclination of the table surface relative to the table legs. Having the table surface adjustable to a rearward inclination allows for books and/or other reading materials to be supported thereon and positioned at a comfortable reading position.
Such laptop table devices are frequently used in hospitals and nursing care homes. These tables are typically used for supporting tableware, dining utensils, and reading or writing materials and the like. Because the elderly, handicapped, and infirm utilize this type of laptop table and may otherwise lack manual dexterity, it is desirable that the table surface adjustment means be easy to access, easy to operate without undue effort, and when such table surface is adjusted, provide secure locking engagement thereof relative to the table legs. It is also desirable that the adjustment means be operable without the use of tools.
Others have incorporated support surface vertical height adjustment means in portable laptop article support devices. Typically, the adjustment means used in these devices have been comprised of a plurality of equally spaced apart recesses or openings interspaced along the extent of extendable height adjustable legs. A pin or a catch was provided and adapted to engage one of the selected openings to lock the extendable legs at an adjusted position. Although this type of adjustment means proved effective in use, the resolution of adjustability of the height adjustment means was restricted to the breadth of inter-spacing between the recesses or openings.
Due to the many anatomical characteristics of laptop table users, it is desirable to have a high resolution height adjustment means which may be finely adjusted to comfortably accommodate many different users and the many positions such users may orientate themselves, be it sitting upright, lying back, or the like.
A portable laptop article support device of this nature should also be usable in a variety of environments. For instance, the laptop device should be narrow enough to fit between the arms of wheel chairs and small enough for use in automobiles.
Hence, it had been found desirable to those skilled in the art to provide a portable laptop article support device having an easily operable high resolution adjustment means to comfortably fit the article support surface over the user's lap. It is also desirable for such a device to include a support surface tilting feature for adjusting the surface to an inclination for supporting reading materials in a comfortable position. In addition, such a laptop device should include a tray for storing writing implements, and papers. Above all, the device should be lightweight, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, easy to construct, and reliable in use. The device of the invention meets the needs and others.